Thanks dude - bought this today after your review from Minidisc, was hoping to see you there star , but no ....definitely amazing headphones. Compared it to many other openbacks in store like HD650, Amiron etc ...for the price I dont see (or hear !!) anything beating this .. Thanks for your review and guidance.
may i ask what amp you're using, ive been running an e10k dac with me for quite a while but im not confident whether it'll actually be enough to power a headphone with impedance of this magnitude
@@crftlz3367 Hey, I got the headphones and had the same concern before getting them too. After getting them, I don't think an amp is that necessary. They sound great already, and are plenty loud for me. You could always get it first, and decide if the volume is enough for you then consider topping (heh) up and getting an amp if you want, though I think its really not necessary
Hey, Lachlan. Very nice review! I am grateful that you had time to review and post. I have a question about what "balanced" means and whether it is desirable or not. In parts of your review, it seems that being balanced is almost a negative quality, i.e. not fun. This is all kind of theory oriented, but it's fun to think about. It seems to me that an AUDIOPHILE headphone should not be overriding the intentions of the engineer that made the original recording. If he wants the female vocal to be forward or recessed or neither, wouldn't you think that's what we should hear from an audiophile headphone? If, on the same recording, the female vocal is forward with one headphone and recessed on another, wouldn't you conclude that at least one of the two is not conveying the recording engineers intentions (and possibly both)? I guess I'm wondering if we want to be using headphones as audio equalizers? To me, a "balanced" or "neutral" audiophile headphone would not impose its own sound signature over the recording engineers effort. It would be best, and therefore "audiophile" if it did not exaggerate or diminish… at least as a goal. (I realize that knowing the audio engineer's intentions may actually not be possible.) My personal preference in an audiophile headphone WOULD be neutrality, balance, detail, ultra- clean, low distortion, precise imaging, high dynamic range, etc. If the female vocal doesn't jump out enough for me, or jumps out too much, I can add an audio-equalizer for such personal "corrections." The absurdest extreme of headphone-as-equalizer would be requiring a different headphone for every recording. Yes, absurd, of course. There's absolutely nothing "wrong" with choosing one headphone over another because it is more FUN. That's a personal choice. That's part of the fun of the hobby. But "FUN" doesn't necessarily mean "audiophile," or "accurate," or whatever terms apply. Does any of this make sense to you? Am I missing the point somehow? Thanks for all you do!
Adrian S Glad to hear you're thinking about this! Often times you will see debates in audio about subjectivism and objectivism, and in some senses the audio engineer's mastering intentions are considered the most 'objective', which we would use with 'objective' equipment. However, hearing is inherently subjective. There's no way to truly know the recording engineer's real intentions. There's no way for the engineer to know what we will hear or the context in which we will hear it. We can take educated guesses but it's not really something to get too worried about. Keep in mind that they have to use headphones and speakers themselves, and the engineers have different hearing just like any normal human being. There's nothing to say that the recording engineer's perceptions are any more or less valid than our own context. For instance, we may just prefer bassier headphones because we listen to music on the train, or we prefer more treble in our headphones because we are older and have less sensitive high frequency hearing. This stuff actually comes down to basic philosophy (have a look at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_Forms), and one of the more interesting aspects of this hobby. Unfortunately people tend to attach value judgements to these sorts of questions which is honestly not worth the effort of arguing about because it gets stupid at that point.
***** One old fashioned way of evaluating audiophile equipment was, how clearly can it create the illusion of listening to live instruments. Does the reproduction of the recording sound like real musical instruments. That can work for acoustic music, jazz, orchestral music, etc., but not for the more electronic and digital forms of music. For the latter, there is no "real" reference point. However, even a solo acoustic guitar in a small room can be a challenge, if the goal is a recording and reproduction that sounds "identical" to the live performer. I think long long ago, a speaker manufacturer put a violinist and one of their speakers behind an acoustically transparent curtain. The audience, who could not see the source of the music was asked which was playing, the violinist or a recording. A challenge! Obviously, the speaker manufacturer hoped that the audience couldn't discern the difference. I don't know how it actually turned out. I guess my comment about headphones as equalizers did not compute. LOL PS - I am not "arguing." Just fun to think about.(BTW: I'd guess that the recording engineer BELIEVES his perceptions are more valid than a random listener's "context." Or perhaps not.)
An audio engineers job is to make the song sound good on everything. As for what they "intended"... lol. They don't care what you're listening on as long you're enjoying yourself, and neither should you.
Very nice review, thank you! I would be interested in a comparison to the Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro. It is also open design and soundwise 2 steps up from the mentioned DT-770. I think it sounds very well balanced and neutral with high definition across the frequency range. The R70x looks very promising.
For anyone looking at this headphone, I had the same concern. Everyone from the shop salesperson to online reviews mentioned how the ohms are too high and that you'll need dedicated amps to run it etc... I saw a pair for cheap and got it, thinking I could use whatever I saved to get a decent dac/amp... The headphones sound absolutely terrific on their own. I plugged it into my apple dongle at the store and even the guy there was surprised, they sound good straight out, and loud too, like painfully loud after the 70-80% mark. I think everyone throws around the impedance number but the sensitivity is important too, and I've been running them straight out of my usb mic for monitoring, and they work fantastic even with the knob set to 30%. So yeah, absolutely banger pair of headphones! I find myself using them more often than my Moondrop Variations, even if the latter are technically more impressive. Just my 0.02, YMMV
So far this really is my top candidate of purchasing my next headphone. So far I've got an AKG K550, but recently I've won an RHA Dacamp L1 and the K550 gets waaaaay to loud due to low impedance and high sensitivity. Really looking forward to test the R70X. Enjoyed your review!
Can’t believe I’m seeing this video so late. I just recently purchased the R70x and so far I’m really loving it! I also own a pair of AD1000X and I love those as well, they’re just really different but both fantastic sounding headphones. R70x lacks that shimmery, shiny texture the AD series has, but has much better bass and overall body in sound.
Whenever you mention comfortability, I am always waiting until you bring up the Sony MA900, and you didn't disappoint! Seems like a running gag in your videos at this point :)
+lachlanlikesathing Can you suggest me an inexpensive amp that would be able to sufficiently power the R70X's? I have a Bravo Audio tube amp but I don't know if they can power a 470 ohm headphone.
I don't know if you've ever mentioned it, but these are supposedly similar sounding to the hd 600. Have you ever heard those, and do you like either better?
+lachlanlikesathing Yo dawg, do the im02's from AT have better isolation than the gr07's, and a similar, neutral sound? I didn't want to comment on the im02 vid because you might not answer. Come to think of it, anyone's opinion will help.
Hey Lachlan, just stumbled across your channel. Great content and you're from Australia too which is great to see. What headphones would you recommend for someone with a budget under $200 AUD? Mostly for gaming/heavy metal music..
Just got these today at a really good price., quality and comfort ( clamping/3D wings ) is top notch. Still needs proper burn-in but yes first impression about audio is not what I expected. Own AD700X/A900X and HD600. These sound really properly good and neutral. It's up there with the HD600's.
I enjoy watching your thorough reviews on headphones. I'm really interested in what your impressions would be of the German Maestro 8.35 D. There isn't any detailed youtube videos on them and not a lot of info. on the web besides places like head fi. They also have the 8.300 and there is no reviews that compare them. It's a really unique model of headphones. Very different from anything you reviewed.
Ihad my pair for awhile now, really dig the lightweight and the sound. If only the earpads where larger and deeper they woud have been my favorit headphone ever! in fact i love them so much i think i give it a try to make my own earpads ( not me personally know some who makes custom car fabrics who probaly coud help me out) wish me luck!
My personal theory about why AT has not made a truly neutral headphone WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS OF COURSE LIKE THIS ONE AND ADX5000, is because very few people actually want neutral headphones, so that demand is low, and companies know most people prefer some sort of colouration.
@@NotOrdinaryInGames i dont know what to call it, it is certainly a strange one. Perhaps it is more to the bright side with a midbass bloat. Sounds really clean to me though.
Very good review. I have been considering both of the headphones shown in this review. For classical and/or acoustic music which would be your recommendation, the AKG 712 or the Audio Technica R70x? Could you comment on how their soundstages compare? Openness, size, accurate?
As always , great review! So, this Audio-Technica is a Sennheiser in disguise? :3 how does it handle HiRes files on your desktop amp and Sony A series Walkman?
shonen84 The R70x is a bit like the HD650, but methinks the HD650 is darker. I haven't done extensive comparison. As for high res files, it sounds fine I suppose? I wouldn't pair it with the Walkman, it's too much to expect of that little thing to power a 470 ohm beast.
I know you mostly review more high end headphones but could you take a look at the superlux hd668b. I have heard they are extremely good for the price, only a bit uncomfortable out of the box, but that is fixed by new earpads. I would like to hear your opinion. Just a suggestion :D Nice videos keep it up :D
I'm very interested in buying these headphones, as I love AT a lot, It's very interesting for me to see that they've a 470 Ohm drivers, as my amplifier is high impedance thought, but I'm interested in K712 Pro too. I've had Q701 too: they had great sense of postioning, great "air", but they were very bad balanced, too much emphasys on 10 KHz and around, a mediocre bass response, so I returned them quickly. What do you thing about these two? I'm thinking to ATH-AD1000x too, altough they're completely different.
Hi, Lachlan. with reasonable budget, and for my first ever headphone purchase which one do you think I should go between M50x or R70x? I really want to had full experience headphone but more like kind bassy. No really sure, R70x is could be costy but could give me fully experience of music and satisfy me(openback vs closeback)...M50x seems like had the bass that I wanted with great budget headphone. Next, in your opinion, do you think Open-back headphone sound better than Close-back headphone any day? TY for answering my question. ;) Psst: headphone likes AKG K712 is overpriced for me
+pstaldzor They're pretty different headphones, should be an easy choice between them. If you're in a noisy place or somewhere where your noise might bother others, the open-back R70X's are pretty much out of the question. Again, if you like bass the M50's win. Everywhere else the R70X's are the way to go I reckon, except price.
Hi! nice revie, I always look at your channel have you tried the AKG 7xx? considering it costs 200 dollars it could be a great deal and fine for comparison with this or other open back headphones.
Your reviews are really good and you're my favorite reviewer but it would be nice if you tested the headphones mic and you could just give us a mic test using during some point in the video. That would be really nice.
How do these perform in terms of transient response/speed? And how would you compare the level of detail in these to stuff like the AD1000x or the K612?
Hi Thanks for posting this review, I listen to mainly heavy rock and old school metal (Iron maiden etc) Can you tell me if these headphones are any good for this type of music? I have a pair of audio technica MX-40 and these are no good as they are too flat and there is no definition between the treble and bass instruments in the music. Are the ATH-R70x flat like these? If so do you know what headphones are good for my kind of music. I notice on your playlist on your computer screen you have Guns and roses use your illusion album THis is the sort of music I would listen to Are the headphones any good listening to this?
Nice review. No I wonder if my Sound Blaster Z is able to drive these cans, its headphone jack can drive up to 600 ohms and it has no issue driving the Sennheiser HD 558 or AKG K240 II. Then again, those two are 50ohms and 55ohms respectively and we're talking 470ohms here :P
HD600 is on sale at addictedtoaudio for AU$328, which is better/neutral/relaxing? Just think presently it's pricey. AD700X( Taiwan made ) has ok clamp with 3D-wings A900X( Japan made ) very good/comfy clamp.
+adminmovie Far more neutral and natural. 612 Pro are not so neutral, they're rolled off in bass and treble, without dynamic and detail, this also caused by a bad matching of drivers. I used them (K612 Pro) for 20 day, then sold.
DoctorIdo may be you had a bad pair or didn't have a good synergy with your amp/dac.. .. 612pro don't have any rolled off bass.. bass is linear, can render the lowest notes with ease. it doesn't have that extra treble detail like in q701 but can be harsh due to 2k spike with bad synergy.
+adminmovie I use a SPL Auditor 120V amp, now with ATH-R70x and K702, before with Q701, K550, K612 Pro... I find K612 Pro more relaxing and linear than Q701, that is too bright and has spikes. Problem is all these AKG open headphones have no real bass, have no impact, no dynamic energy. K612 Pro as the cheapest has the worst driver selection, so it's poor in detail too. I prefer it to Q701 in any way, but in the end I've sold both. I'd like to try K712 Pro.
Thank you! Just wondering, what headphone amps do you recommend for the R70X? I'm looking for one that is clean (no apparent distortion) with the most bang for your buck at a decent price. (Something less than $250 would be ideal)
***** Wow i really wasn't expecting that anwser. I though the X2 was well balanced so i guessed it would sound similar to the R70X. I can imagine how the HD650 sounds, since i own the HD600, so how would you compare the HD650 to the R70X? Also, when you'll do the X2 review (i know you will) please make a quick comparison between them and the HD650 and the K712 :)
theodoro89 i have used x2, r70x & hd650 and I prefer r70x by large margin. I thought x2 sounds a little too aggressive and even harsh at times especially in upper mid. I thought hd650 sounded a little to warm for my taste. I literally fell asleep while listening to it. r70x sounded just right for me :)
What amp did you use to drive these headphones? I've tried the Schiit Magni as well as the JDS Labs Objective 2 + ODAC and while they are very similar i feel like the JDS one brings out a little more detail when in high gain. I feel like it even brings out more detail in my M50x's as well in low gain mode too.
What happened to the HD650? I thought those were one of your favorites? If I remembered correctly didn't you trade one of your headphones for the HD650 and kept it because you like it so much?
Between the K712 and R70X which one do you think would be better for competitive gaming, movies and complex music that has a lot of layers? I use the AD900X for movies and gaming right now. I don't bother using it with music because my FX850 and SR1540 are superior.
DoctorIdo listen to them for an hour or two, then you'll find that the closed in sound actually wasn't closed in at all, as it is more realistic and slightly open (but not lively as other headphones).
Vlenbo 2 I've let in a burn-in loop with CD test for 24h, and now they've completey changed. Now the're not closed, but "only" natural. Great headphones. Ihope I can have a pair of K712 Pro too, but now I use these one.
Sir i m currently running a shitty earphones m thinking of getting a new headphones but m not sure which i m a huge pink floyd fan i also listen to some more rock and edm music and m comfused around Sennheiser hd 560s akg k702/k712 and beyerdynamic 880/990 pro (250) audiotech r70x all these are basically of same cost here in india I think i can spare some cash and get some ifi zen air dac combo as it is cheap or i should go with zen dac v2 I will be greatfull as you are one of that actually know the sound signature and what could be the best Love to hear your input Regards
Would you recommend Audio Technica's "ATH-R70x" headphones or Master & Dynamic's " MH40" headphones?. I've been having trouble knowing which one to purchase.
Hi, I have a Focusrite 2i2, would the R70x at 470 Ohms still be a good match for mixing my music? I use Komplete, Maschine, Omnisphere, etc. in Cubase, Ableton etc. and want to ensure I can clearly hear the details. I already have the M50 but it didn't last very long, and I'm looking for a replacement (prefer open back).
I wouldn't call it exceptionally wide or narrow. Because mids are less forward than the AKG K712, its maybe a tad wider. Not as diffuse sounding as any AD series Audio Technica or like the MA900 though.
Can you recommend some good headphones for someone with big ears like me. I've tried a few headphones but any on ear headphones just feel really uncomfortable after a few minutes. So I was looking for something that is about under a 100 dollars but is really comfortable. Thanks for any help.
Tried these at the CanCon this past Sunday, and I absolutely LOVED the way that these sounded.
P.S. Great review man!
***** Glad you got a chance to try them! Sucks I missed it this year.
Theres always next year!
and then there is 2020
Thanks dude - bought this today after your review from Minidisc, was hoping to see you there star , but no ....definitely amazing headphones. Compared it to many other openbacks in store like HD650, Amiron etc ...for the price I dont see (or hear !!) anything beating this .. Thanks for your review and guidance.
may i ask what amp you're using, ive been running an e10k dac with me for quite a while but im not confident whether it'll actually be enough to power a headphone with impedance of this magnitude
@@crftlz3367 Hey, I got the headphones and had the same concern before getting them too. After getting them, I don't think an amp is that necessary. They sound great already, and are plenty loud for me. You could always get it first, and decide if the volume is enough for you then consider topping (heh) up and getting an amp if you want, though I think its really not necessary
Hey, Lachlan. Very nice review! I am grateful that you had time to review and post.
I have a question about what "balanced" means and whether it is desirable or not. In parts of your review, it seems that being balanced is almost a negative quality, i.e. not fun.
This is all kind of theory oriented, but it's fun to think about.
It seems to me that an AUDIOPHILE headphone should not be overriding the intentions of the engineer that made the original recording. If he wants the female vocal to be forward or recessed or neither, wouldn't you think that's what we should hear from an audiophile headphone? If, on the same recording, the female vocal is forward with one headphone and recessed on another, wouldn't you conclude that at least one of the two is not conveying the recording engineers intentions (and possibly both)?
I guess I'm wondering if we want to be using headphones as audio equalizers?
To me, a "balanced" or "neutral" audiophile headphone would not impose its own sound signature over the recording engineers effort. It would be best, and therefore "audiophile" if it did not exaggerate or diminish… at least as a goal. (I realize that knowing the audio engineer's intentions may actually not be possible.)
My personal preference in an audiophile headphone WOULD be neutrality, balance, detail, ultra- clean, low distortion, precise imaging, high dynamic range, etc. If the female vocal doesn't jump out enough for me, or jumps out too much, I can add an audio-equalizer for such personal "corrections."
The absurdest extreme of headphone-as-equalizer would be requiring a different headphone for every recording. Yes, absurd, of course.
There's absolutely nothing "wrong" with choosing one headphone over another because it is more FUN. That's a personal choice. That's part of the fun of the hobby. But "FUN" doesn't necessarily mean "audiophile," or "accurate," or whatever terms apply.
Does any of this make sense to you? Am I missing the point somehow?
Thanks for all you do!
Adrian S Glad to hear you're thinking about this! Often times you will see debates in audio about subjectivism and objectivism, and in some senses the audio engineer's mastering intentions are considered the most 'objective', which we would use with 'objective' equipment. However, hearing is inherently subjective. There's no way to truly know the recording engineer's real intentions. There's no way for the engineer to know what we will hear or the context in which we will hear it. We can take educated guesses but it's not really something to get too worried about. Keep in mind that they have to use headphones and speakers themselves, and the engineers have different hearing just like any normal human being. There's nothing to say that the recording engineer's perceptions are any more or less valid than our own context. For instance, we may just prefer bassier headphones because we listen to music on the train, or we prefer more treble in our headphones because we are older and have less sensitive high frequency hearing. This stuff actually comes down to basic philosophy (have a look at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_Forms), and one of the more interesting aspects of this hobby. Unfortunately people tend to attach value judgements to these sorts of questions which is honestly not worth the effort of arguing about because it gets stupid at that point.
*****
One old fashioned way of evaluating audiophile equipment was, how clearly can it create the illusion of listening to live instruments. Does the reproduction of the recording sound like real musical instruments. That can work for acoustic music, jazz, orchestral music, etc., but not for the more electronic and digital forms of music. For the latter, there is no "real" reference point. However, even a solo acoustic guitar in a small room can be a challenge, if the goal is a recording and reproduction that sounds "identical" to the live performer.
I think long long ago, a speaker manufacturer put a violinist and one of their speakers behind an acoustically transparent curtain. The audience, who could not see the source of the music was asked which was playing, the violinist or a recording. A challenge! Obviously, the speaker manufacturer hoped that the audience couldn't discern the difference. I don't know how it actually turned out.
I guess my comment about headphones as equalizers did not compute. LOL
PS - I am not "arguing." Just fun to think about.(BTW: I'd guess that the recording engineer BELIEVES his perceptions are more valid than a random listener's "context." Or perhaps not.)
An audio engineers job is to make the song sound good on everything. As for what they "intended"... lol. They don't care what you're listening on as long you're enjoying yourself, and neither should you.
Very nice review, thank you! I would be interested in a comparison to the Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro. It is also open design and soundwise 2 steps up from the mentioned DT-770. I think it sounds very well balanced and neutral with high definition across the frequency range. The R70x looks very promising.
that's such a good looking headphone. i wished audio technica release something like this with lower impedance.
For anyone looking at this headphone, I had the same concern. Everyone from the shop salesperson to online reviews mentioned how the ohms are too high and that you'll need dedicated amps to run it etc...
I saw a pair for cheap and got it, thinking I could use whatever I saved to get a decent dac/amp...
The headphones sound absolutely terrific on their own. I plugged it into my apple dongle at the store and even the guy there was surprised, they sound good straight out, and loud too, like painfully loud after the 70-80% mark.
I think everyone throws around the impedance number but the sensitivity is important too, and I've been running them straight out of my usb mic for monitoring, and they work fantastic even with the knob set to 30%.
So yeah, absolutely banger pair of headphones! I find myself using them more often than my Moondrop Variations, even if the latter are technically more impressive. Just my 0.02, YMMV
I have an R-70X and I can confirm that an apple dongle + a phone/laptop/tablet with a decent amp can drive it plenty loud.
So far this really is my top candidate of purchasing my next headphone.
So far I've got an AKG K550, but recently I've won an RHA Dacamp L1 and the K550 gets waaaaay to loud due to low impedance and high sensitivity. Really looking forward to test the R70X.
Enjoyed your review!
how is that dacamp L1, can that be used as hifi amp and not portable? I mean only for PC, hows doing the battery?
Can’t believe I’m seeing this video so late. I just recently purchased the R70x and so far I’m really loving it! I also own a pair of AD1000X and I love those as well, they’re just really different but both fantastic sounding headphones. R70x lacks that shimmery, shiny texture the AD series has, but has much better bass and overall body in sound.
hey man great review keep it up man you're awesome
Excellent review! Thanks.
You are the best reviewer on TH-cam. Great job Lachlan
Hey Lachlan , great review again ... btw are you planning on the Audeze EL8 ? Would love to hear your comments on them
Whenever you mention comfortability, I am always waiting until you bring up the Sony MA900, and you didn't disappoint! Seems like a running gag in your videos at this point :)
Haha. Makes me sad :(
+lachlanlikesathing Can you suggest me an inexpensive amp that would be able to sufficiently power the R70X's? I have a Bravo Audio tube amp but I don't know if they can power a 470 ohm headphone.
A tube amp can power anything.
Thank you for this excellent review.
I don't know if you've ever mentioned it, but these are supposedly similar sounding to the hd 600. Have you ever heard those, and do you like either better?
James Sun hd600 maybe brighter in thia comparison. I personally prefer hd600. But i do know r70x is actually better on its own.
Do you ever test out headphones with Nujabes tracks?
Do you like Nujabes at all?
Great video! :D
***** I've heard Nujabes a few times at parties, should really actually listen properly!
+lachlanlikesathing Yo dawg, do the im02's from AT have better isolation than the gr07's, and a similar, neutral sound? I didn't want to comment on the im02 vid because you might not answer. Come to think of it, anyone's opinion will help.
+Sir Sebastian *cries....Nujabes...... *cries...........
Great Review! Finally a great similar headphone to the MA900.
Great review! I would recommend trying the DUNU Titan1 IEMs. I would love to hear your thoughts on those!
Hey Lachlan, just stumbled across your channel. Great content and you're from Australia too which is great to see. What headphones would you recommend for someone with a budget under $200 AUD? Mostly for gaming/heavy metal music..
Just got these today at a really good price., quality and comfort ( clamping/3D wings ) is top notch. Still needs proper burn-in but yes first impression about audio is not what I expected. Own AD700X/A900X and HD600. These sound really properly good and neutral. It's up there with the HD600's.
For gaming r70x or the AD's
I enjoy watching your thorough reviews on headphones. I'm really interested in what your impressions would be of the German Maestro 8.35 D. There isn't any detailed youtube videos on them and not a lot of info. on the web besides places like head fi. They also have the 8.300 and there is no reviews that compare them. It's a really unique model of headphones. Very different from anything you reviewed.
hey lachlan, what glassese is that? I wanted a new pair of glasses and I think your pair of glasses looks very nice!
Ihad my pair for awhile now, really dig the lightweight and the sound. If only the earpads where larger and deeper they woud have been my favorit headphone ever!
in fact i love them so much i think i give it a try to make my own earpads ( not me personally know some who makes custom car fabrics who probaly coud help me out) wish me luck!
Have you compared these to the AKG K702?
Lachlan why don't you do a video on your music? Would be interesting.
xeat35 Good idea, I will put it on the 'to do' list :)
My personal theory about why AT has not made a truly neutral headphone WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS OF COURSE LIKE THIS ONE AND ADX5000, is because very few people actually want neutral headphones, so that demand is low, and companies know most people prefer some sort of colouration.
ADX 5000 aint neutral though
@@kato2395 Yes. I should have said "neutral by the ridiculous AT open back standards".
@@NotOrdinaryInGames i dont know what to call it, it is certainly a strange one. Perhaps it is more to the bright side with a midbass bloat. Sounds really clean to me though.
Very good review. I have been considering both of the headphones shown in this review. For classical and/or acoustic music which would be your recommendation, the AKG 712 or the Audio Technica R70x? Could you comment on how their soundstages compare? Openness, size, accurate?
As always , great review! So, this Audio-Technica is a Sennheiser in disguise? :3 how does it handle HiRes files on your desktop amp and Sony A series Walkman?
shonen84 The R70x is a bit like the HD650, but methinks the HD650 is darker. I haven't done extensive comparison. As for high res files, it sounds fine I suppose? I wouldn't pair it with the Walkman, it's too much to expect of that little thing to power a 470 ohm beast.
Great review! I'd be interested if you ever decided to compare the M40x to the M70x since both are supposed to be flat
I know you mostly review more high end headphones but could you take a look at the superlux hd668b. I have heard they are extremely good for the price, only a bit uncomfortable out of the box, but that is fixed by new earpads. I would like to hear your opinion. Just a suggestion :D Nice videos keep it up :D
KingClaus of Yllin I'll look into it, thanks!
Hell yeah another cool headphones review.
You have a Tomoko nendoroid!! I want one so bad but I can't find one for below $90 USD anywhere.... :(
Magnetorheological Yes! My friend found one for me in Hong Kong
I'm very interested in buying these headphones, as I love AT a lot, It's very interesting for me to see that they've a 470 Ohm drivers, as my amplifier is high impedance thought, but I'm interested in K712 Pro too. I've had Q701 too: they had great sense of postioning, great "air", but they were very bad balanced, too much emphasys on 10 KHz and around, a mediocre bass response, so I returned them quickly. What do you thing about these two? I'm thinking to ATH-AD1000x too, altough they're completely different.
I have a question! So what would be the best ~$300 closed back headphones?
Hi, Lachlan. with reasonable budget, and for my first ever headphone purchase which one do you think I should go between M50x or R70x? I really want to had full experience headphone but more like kind bassy. No really sure, R70x is could be costy but could give me fully experience of music and satisfy me(openback vs closeback)...M50x seems like had the bass that I wanted with great budget headphone. Next, in your opinion, do you think Open-back headphone sound better than Close-back headphone any day? TY for answering my question. ;)
Psst: headphone likes AKG K712 is overpriced for me
+pstaldzor They're pretty different headphones, should be an easy choice between them. If you're in a noisy place or somewhere where your noise might bother others, the open-back R70X's are pretty much out of the question. Again, if you like bass the M50's win. Everywhere else the R70X's are the way to go I reckon, except price.
Are the ear pads on these the same as the 700x?
No, they are smaller. If you need replacement pads the part numbers from A-T are:
135307810 (Right)
135307800 (Left)
Thanks! Really appreciate your reply
Are the pads replaceable? :D
Yes
Finally got these today!
can you amazon link me the amp? please 3:34
Lachlan, have you heard Grado's cans? I think they are an excellent budget open-back headphones.
How would you compare the AKG Q701 & AD700 to the R70x if you have listened to them? Selling my Q701 and want to get something else.
Are these a bad idea for playing guitar and synths late at night? Would it be enjoyable to record on these?
informative thank you very much
Hi Lanchlan,
may you share how do you drive these headphone ? and what AMP do you use to power them ?
Hi! nice revie, I always look at your channel have you tried the AKG 7xx? considering it costs 200 dollars it could be a great deal and fine for comparison with this or other open back headphones.
Fine review! Have you compared this ATH with de AKG k7xx massdrop edition? Those are 200 bucks :D
Merry Chtistmas Mr Lawerence!
Hey lachlan there or Sennheiser hd 650?
Your reviews are really good and you're my favorite reviewer but it would be nice if you tested the headphones mic and you could just give us a mic test using during some point in the video. That would be really nice.
Are you going to be sticking with reviewing headphones? I would personally like to see some speaker and (if you can) turntables reviews.
I can't really easily review speakers because of their size and difficulty for resale. But I'm looking to review other stuff!
***** Alright, cool!
How do these perform in terms of transient response/speed? And how would you compare the level of detail in these to stuff like the AD1000x or the K612?
Hey Lachlan these or Sennheiser hd 650's?
Cheers
Thoughts on the new JDS labs Element?
Looks pretty!
So would you say these headphones are superior to the HD650?
How does this compare to the ATH AD1000x?
Hi Thanks for posting this review, I listen to mainly heavy rock and old school metal (Iron maiden etc) Can you tell me if these headphones are any good for this type of music? I have a pair of audio technica MX-40 and these are no good as they are too flat and there is no definition between the treble and bass instruments in the music. Are the ATH-R70x flat like these? If so do you know what headphones are good for my kind of music. I notice on your playlist on your computer screen you have Guns and roses use your illusion album THis is the sort of music I would listen to Are the headphones any good listening to this?
Nice review. No I wonder if my Sound Blaster Z is able to drive these cans, its headphone jack can drive up to 600 ohms and it has no issue driving the Sennheiser HD 558 or AKG K240 II. Then again, those two are 50ohms and 55ohms respectively and we're talking 470ohms here :P
HD600 is on sale at addictedtoaudio for AU$328, which is better/neutral/relaxing? Just think presently it's pricey.
AD700X( Taiwan made ) has ok clamp with 3D-wings A900X( Japan made ) very good/comfy clamp.
are u from Australia?
yes
so Lach, this thing is more neutral than 612pro ?
Maybe. Perhaps just a different kind of neutral. Cleaner than the K612 I think...
*****
he he .. this better be more transparent for $300+ ;) .. 612pro is currently only $130..
+adminmovie Far more neutral and natural. 612 Pro are not so neutral, they're rolled off in bass and treble, without dynamic and detail, this also caused by a bad matching of drivers. I used them (K612 Pro) for 20 day, then sold.
DoctorIdo
may be you had a bad pair or didn't have a good synergy with your amp/dac.. .. 612pro don't have any rolled off bass.. bass is linear, can render the lowest notes with ease. it doesn't have that extra treble detail like in q701 but can be harsh due to 2k spike with bad synergy.
+adminmovie I use a SPL Auditor 120V amp, now with ATH-R70x and K702, before with Q701, K550, K612 Pro... I find K612 Pro more relaxing and linear than Q701, that is too bright and has spikes. Problem is all these AKG open headphones have no real bass, have no impact, no dynamic energy. K612 Pro as the cheapest has the worst driver selection, so it's poor in detail too. I prefer it to Q701 in any way, but in the end I've sold both. I'd like to try K712 Pro.
I've auditioned this once and find the mids a little congested. How do you find the mids on this ?
Lachlan, those "a little bit" s are those fillers or are they really a little bit of this and that :P?
Haha. In this case I tried to be very careful with how I used it, so I mean title bit when I say it this time.
Do they can be compared to LCD2?
Please make review about DUNU DN-2000! these are one of the best 250USD earphones!
Thank you! Just wondering, what headphone amps do you recommend for the R70X? I'm looking for one that is clean (no apparent distortion) with the most bang for your buck at a decent price. (Something less than $250 would be ideal)
Fiio k5 pro
CO:CAINE SOUND CLASH/CITY BEAT!!! I've been seeing good reviews about it, so I hope you'd like them also.
i gotta say the best source i ever heard with the r70x is the cayin n6 dap so far nothing beats it
Great! Now i really want to see a comparison between the R70X and the Fidelio X2. :D
They're super different! The X2 is like a funner more aggressive HD650.
***** Wow i really wasn't expecting that anwser. I though the X2 was well balanced so i guessed it would sound similar to the R70X. I can imagine how the HD650 sounds, since i own the HD600, so how would you compare the HD650 to the R70X?
Also, when you'll do the X2 review (i know you will) please make a quick comparison between them and the HD650 and the K712 :)
theodoro89 i have used x2, r70x & hd650 and I prefer r70x by large margin. I thought x2 sounds a little too aggressive and even harsh at times especially in upper mid. I thought hd650 sounded a little to warm for my taste. I literally fell asleep while listening to it. r70x sounded just right for me :)
lmjpeter Very interesting... I wish i can hear the R70X someday.
What amp do you use?
theodoro89 schiit's magni/modi stack.
Which gain setting did you use to run these on the O2?
Isana Yashiro Higher gain (3.5x I believe) seems to work best.
Hm, I see. Do you think a Schitt Magni 2 could drive these decently well?
***** there's 3.3 and 6.5. which one do u mean???
Dennis J. My O2 is modified to have 1 and 3.5x gain.
Isana Yashiro I think any little dedicated amp should be okay.
What amp did you use to drive these headphones? I've tried the Schiit Magni as well as the JDS Labs Objective 2 + ODAC and while they are very similar i feel like the JDS one brings out a little more detail when in high gain. I feel like it even brings out more detail in my M50x's as well in low gain mode too.
what would be a good amp for these?
What happened to the HD650? I thought those were one of your favorites? If I remembered correctly didn't you trade one of your headphones for the HD650 and kept it because you like it so much?
D Lee My friend lent it to me to own for a while, and while I was up for the trade at the end he decided to keep them.
*****
Ahhh I see. BTW, your reviews are awesome! How do I support your channel? I'd like to donate to your future review purchases :)
In comparison to the Sennheisser HD650 how do these compare in clarity and separation?
Probably not a fair comparison but how would you compare this to the Ether or the HD800? Is the bass and decay just as fast?
Is it worth upgrading from the AD500x to these??
I mainly use them for Movies, Music, and a bit of Gaming.
I was hoping the R70x sounded like a way more comfortable m50x.Any recommendations for a comfortable headphone that sounds very similar to the M50x?
Should I order these as my first audiophile headphones? I've tried at M40x and Hd280 and both failed. I might have to step it up.
What amp did u use to drive these? Will the o2 dac amp combo be powerful enough?
farhan kapdi Yep, the O2 will do just fine it seems.
Listening to this with my new pair of R70x :3
Ace Combat reference? Also have you still got them?
does it clip when connected to a computer? would they be good for video games?
Between the K712 and R70X which one do you think would be better for competitive gaming, movies and complex music that has a lot of layers? I use the AD900X for movies and gaming right now. I don't bother using it with music because my FX850 and SR1540 are superior.
im having a hard time deciding between fidelio x2's and dt 770 80ohms.
Get the r70x
I really want to try this out >
What's the importance with female vocals?
+Fwuzeem The highs.
+David Jorquera They don't cover the highs unless you're referring to the ess sounds
hey, will it be possible to do a review on the SENNHEISER Urbanite XL Headphones, if you can't do you know if they are any good. Thanks, dan :D
I've just tried them. Very interesting, but very closed in sound as new. How many burin in hours did you find necessary to make them sound?
DoctorIdo listen to them for an hour or two, then you'll find that the closed in sound actually wasn't closed in at all, as it is more realistic and slightly open (but not lively as other headphones).
Vlenbo 2 I've let in a burn-in loop with CD test for 24h, and now they've completey changed. Now the're not closed, but "only" natural. Great headphones. Ihope I can have a pair of K712 Pro too, but now I use these one.
Nad Viso HP50's vs these?
They are on Massdrop right now, I'm trying to decide if i want to buy them.
Maybe since i can find the k712 for less i'll go for that one
I just got mine in the mail from massdrop! They sound amazing!
Would you recommend the R70x for gaming? I’m looking for the best possible gaming headphones. Budget flexible. Please help
Do you want performance or enjoyment?
speaking of comfort. you gotta try Mr.Speakers mad dogs
Sir i m currently running a shitty earphones m thinking of getting a new headphones but m not sure which i m a huge pink floyd fan i also listen to some more rock and edm music and m comfused around Sennheiser hd 560s akg k702/k712 and beyerdynamic 880/990 pro (250) audiotech r70x
all these are basically of same cost here in india
I think i can spare some cash and get some ifi zen air dac combo as it is cheap or i should go with zen dac v2
I will be greatfull as you are one of that actually know the sound signature and what could be the best
Love to hear your input
Regards
hi could you please suggest an amp or dac for studio mixing and mastering with these headphones?
Hey i have a small doubt.
I'm gonna be starting producing some music .
Are these good? or should i go with Sen HD600 ?
what do you recommend?
I recently bought AT ATH-M70x from amazon but they've sent me the r70x. Would it be worth keeping the r70x or should i just return them for the m70x?
soundblaster z doesnt have an adjustable amp... but the 600 ohm that it has able to able to power these well enough?
+TheGullestain just becuase idk if i really need an dedicated amp
Would you recommend Audio Technica's "ATH-R70x" headphones or Master & Dynamic's " MH40" headphones?. I've been having trouble knowing which one to purchase.
what if I used this for gaming?
Your HEAD might eXPLoDe!!!
Hi, I have a Focusrite 2i2, would the R70x at 470 Ohms still be a good match for mixing my music? I use Komplete, Maschine, Omnisphere, etc. in Cubase, Ableton etc. and want to ensure I can clearly hear the details. I already have the M50 but it didn't last very long, and I'm looking for a replacement (prefer open back).
Soundstage?
I wouldn't call it exceptionally wide or narrow. Because mids are less forward than the AKG K712, its maybe a tad wider. Not as diffuse sounding as any AD series Audio Technica or like the MA900 though.
Great! Thanks!
Can you recommend some good headphones for someone with big ears like me. I've tried a few headphones but any on ear headphones just feel really uncomfortable after a few minutes. So I was looking for something that is about under a 100 dollars but is really comfortable. Thanks for any help.
How is the sound compared to Philips Fidelio X2? Thank you. :D
X2: warm, lush and expansive
R70x: raw, rough and detailed
Comfort: R70X>>>>>>>>X2
Origin: R70X: Japan/Taiwan X2: China
Thank you very much for the comparison :)